anyone hear from nikki

[nicoles mom]

hope all is ok with her.
theresa

[susannajon]

She posted yesterday and Chrystal was doing fine. Day three and four can be pretty hairy, so she's probably got her hands full. I hope Chrystal isn't hurting too much!

[nikyergen]

To All:
Crystal is way better today than she has been the last two days. She had such good days in the beginning, it was hard to take the two days of bad. They switched her off her morphine on Friday and put her on percocet. The percocet is making her sick to her stomach, even if she eats something with it. The different shifts of staff have been great until yesterday. The weekend day shift, yesterday and today, seemed to drop the ball on medications with everyone on the floor. You have to remind them to bring pain meds. I have even had to chase them down for Crystal's asthma meds that she takes daily. However, I was quite relieved when the swing and night sifts came and they had the meds right on time.

Doctor came in this morning and told us we could head for home tomorrow. Craig is going to head back today and we will go back tomorrow. I am so relieved. I think Crystal will improve at home where she can go outside and walk around and see her dogs and cats. I am sure they miss her a lot too.

Well, I better get back to her room and see if she is okay. I am going to try to get her up for a walk, by myself.

Love and prayers to you all.

'til later,
Nikki

[Lura]

Nikki,

Crystal did great! I think home is the better place to recoup. too. I am hoping I can develop an assertive personality when we get to the hospital, you seem to be doing great!

Write when you get home. Until then, take care!

Lura

[nicoles mom]

nikki
hello great to hear from you and glad you and crystal are going home. she will feel better when shes home [no place like home]. I'm still going crazy 9 days before we go. can't wait til its over and we come home. well safe trip home talk to you soon.
theresa

lura
how are you doing. hope all is well.
theresa

[susannajon]

Hi Nikki,

I'm so glad you guys are doing so well! It will be good to go home. You might want to consider asking them to try something else for pain meds so she isn't feeling sick. She might need those meds for a few weeks...

[lorrie]

Hi Nikki

Delighted to hear you two are heading home. good luck for the journey!

Lorrie

[nikyergen]

Susann,
I got on my soap box with the nurse on Saturday about the meds. She argued with me about what was best. However, she finally called the doctor and he did change her meds, taking her off percocet and putting her on codiene. It made the world of difference for Crystal. I am glad I stood my ground on it.

To all of you,
We're home and happy to be here. I think both Crystal and I are a little apprehensive, but I think when we settle into a routine we will both be comfortable with it. We had a good trip home. Crystal did well. We worked hard at getting the seat reclined in just the right posistion for her and padding her with pillows. Crystal had a pain med just when we left the hospital, and then her alternate med about 11am and didn't ask for another one until 4:30pm, on the way home. She didn't complain the whole way home.

Well, we are home and I have lots to do. You know Laundry, dishes, unpacking boxes from moving, etc.

Love and prayers to you all.

'til later,
Nikki

[Mary Lou]

Susanna and Nikki,

I am so happy for both of your families. Doesn't it feel great to be over the hurdle of surgery and be back home again? Tell both girls they are doing an awesome job and to keep up the good work.

As for speaking up for the pain meds., good for you! On the night before we were to come home from the hospital, we asked for pain meds, fell asleep and woke up two hours past time for meds and Jamie was in horrible pain! I chased down a nurse and she brought the meds, but by that point it was too late. Her pain had gotten ahead of her. I told her to give her a shot of morphine and she told me she couldn't do that. I told her she could and she would or I would be on the phone with the doctor. She didn't like it, but gave her a shot anyway. When that didn't take care of the pain within a reasonable time frame, I told her to give her another shot. I was not her favorite person that night and I know after I talked to the doctor the next day and told him what happened, I'm sure she hated me! Like the doctor said, there was no reason for that to have happened. Needless to say we ended up staying an extra day and whenever we asked for anything, the nurses jumped!

As for the unpacking, don't worry about it. It has waited this long, so I'm sure it will wait for a few more weeks. Remember, Moms, take a nap or rest when your daughter rests, especially if you aren't getting a good night's sleep. The laundry will wait.

Mary Lou

[susannajon]

Go Nikki!

I am so glad you guys are home. Isn't nice sleeping in your own bed, even if it's only for 3 hours at a time between pain meds, right???

That's great that you stood your ground and got a different med that doesn't make her sick. We had to do the same thing, and I'm so glad we did, becuase she really needs the stuff right now, and it would be miserable if it didn't agree with her system.

We're two weeks post-op today, and she's looking really good. We took a walk today and she did fine. I took off the steri-strips because they were getting raggedy on the edges and they were driving her nuts. Her incision looks very clean.

[nicoles mom]

nikki
So glad to hear you made it to the other side. How's crystal feeling now that your home. Can't wait to get there, this week is the worst I have felt so far I've been trying to get things ready for before we go and when we get home. My husband went today to donate blood. Thrus we go to the hosiptal for per tests and talk to the doctor then easter. Wed 6:00 am need to be at the hospital it's coming fast and I can't wait til it's over. My Nicole is now asking lots of questions which I'm glad about. Her face is so broken out like never before so I think she is getting a little stressed out herself. Her girl scout troop is giving her a party at this place with dinner games a cake and presents. It's a surprise these 18 girls have been together since the 1st grade. She should her a blast. I have a tooth ache all of a sudden [stress] so I'm going to the dentist tomorrow. My luck I will need a root canal done.
Theresa

[nikyergen]

Theresa,
Check you other post to Jennifer or Susanna about hair washing.

Crystal is doing great now that we are home. I have seen a huge improvement in just the last 24 hours.

Tell Nicole not to get upset about her face. Crystal broke out in blisters all over her lips from the stress of surgery. And they were painful. Her lips swelled, split, cracked, bled. Poor kid, I felt so sorry for her. Two days after surgery was over, they cleared up and the swelling went out of them.

I had everything pretty well done before I left. But, my mistake was hoping that Craig and Beth would clean up their mess they made while I was gone. They waited until the got home from picking us up. So, I was pretty discouraged when I got home last night and have been a bear about it today.

Don't plan on getting much sleep at the hospital or when you return home. Craig asked why I bit his head off at 3am this morning. I told him I am tired and just need about 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Bless my youngest daughters heart, she helped out by sleeping in Crystal's room last night so someone would hear her.

We made it to the other side and I am still wondering, now, why I was so stressed. Everything went like clockwork. Her surgery took about an hour longer than planned, but that was okay, because the doctor got the correction he wanted. I wish I could be with you. I will be in my heart. Keep us posted as you get ready and go through this. We are all there for your.

Love and prayers,
Nikki

[lrmb]

Dear Nikki,

I just wanted to say how wonderful it is to hear of Crystal's continuing recovery. It's a joy that we all share with you! And it really makes a difference to those of us facing this in the future that we get to hear about the getting well afterward and what happens.

Thanks for posting!
Take care ~Laura